Overview
- A University of Buckingham expert, Anthony Glees, argues the UK needs greater manpower and urges some form of conscription given current threats and limited force size.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said nobody is considering conscription, and successive governments have rejected compulsory service despite a new national security strategy and a pledge to lift security spending to 5% of GDP within a decade.
- Reports say a paid military 'gap year' pilot for under-25s is due to open recruitment in March 2026 with an initial cohort of 150, modelled on Australia’s scheme and offering a voluntary route with potential pathways into full service.
- Coverage describes proposed service pathways across the Army, Navy and RAF as under development, with no confirmed pay details and no obligation to enlist after the trial.
- Debate over women’s roles features polling that 72% would support conscripting women if required, historical WWII call-ups, and the fact women have been eligible for all combat roles since 2018, as Russian state-media threats heighten public concern.